Reversible roof tiles



Nov. 30, 1965 L. BESSE REVERS IBLE ROOF TILES Filed Dec. 17, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 1 [00/5 luc/f/v 15135 Arrx Nov. 30, 1965 L. L. BESSE YREVERSIBLE ROOF TILES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1962 Z ow: Zz/c/z/v 54105 A r-r3 United States Patent 3,220,150 REVERSIBLE ROOFTILES Louis Lucien Bessc, Liguge (Vienne), France Filed Dec. 17, 1962,Ser. No. 245,265 4 Claims. (Cl. 52-538) The present invention relates toroofing tiles made of plastic or other material either by molding or byinjection.

An object of this invention is to make a tile of light construction thatwill enable the roof to be lighter and the framework for supporting thesame to be lighter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reversible roofing tileconstructed for assemblage to prevent the penetration of rain ormoisture between the joints, while still being resistant to the mostviolent winds.

A further object of this invention is to provide interlocking attachinglugs on the tiles during the course of the manufacture thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a roofing tilehaving tenons and lugs formed with openings adapted to register when thetenons of one tile cooperate with the lugs of an adjacent tile to enablethe insertion in the registering openings of a pin or peg, a fastener oran iron wire so that the tiles can be connected together with a waterand heat seal between the tiles and to enable the tiles to be fastenedto the roofing frame to retain them against the eflects of Wind.

A still further object of this invention is to provide tenons ofdovetail form and lugs of corresponding form to receive the same.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tile havingdouble flanges at each end and laterally projecting flanges at the sidesadapted to slightly overlap the edges of adjacent tiles withoutdisconnecting the tiles.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide ribs or grooves inthe tile in order to form for assemblage larmiers where shoulders ofcornices force the rain water to flow in drops resembling tears in placeof trickling over the facing.

Other objects will appear hereinafter and in the drawings which show byway of example, and somewhat schematically, modifications of tilesconstructed according to the present invention and assemblages thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a reversible tile according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the end B of the tile of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed fragmentary sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective sectional view taken on line 4-4 ofFIG. 1 showing the lower side of the lower flange;

FIG. 5 is another perspective view also taken on line 44 but viewed froma dilferent direction and showing the upper side of the uppermostflange;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 showing a modified form ofinterconnecting lugs;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 showing the modified form ofinterconnecting lugs of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a tile of modified form and therelationship of this tile to an adjacent tile about to be connectedthereto; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an assemblage of tiles showing how tiles ofdiflerent types can be assembled.

Referring to the drawings, the tile 1B, comprising a sheet-like body, isprovided at each of its upper and lower ends with pairs of parallelflanges 1 and 1'. At the upper edge A the flanges project upwardly fromthe upper surface of the tile and are spaced apart to provide a gutter6. Flange 1 is provided with a perpendicular flange 2 extending beyondthe upper end of tile 1B.

3,226,159 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 At the lower end B of tile 1B theflanges 1 and 1' project from the opposite or bottom surface of thetile.

In assembling vertically adjacent tiles flange 1' at end B is nested,fitted or mortised in the groove or gutter 6 between flanges 1 and 1 atend A of the adjacent lower tile. Similarly, the flange 1' at end A ofthe adjacent lower tile is nested, fitted or mortised in the gutter 6between flanges 1 and 1 at the end B of the upper adjacent tile. This isclearly indicated in FIG. 8 of the drawings. Any water falling on a roofso constructed will not penetrate the joints even when blown by thewind. Any water that may flow past one flange 1 of one tile will betrapped in the gutter 6 between the flanges of the adjacent tile.

The flanges 2 projecting beyond the ends A and B of the tile arethemselves interrupted at one side a little before the lateral edge ofthe tile in a manner to provide in each case an overlapping projection9. During installation of the roof, the projection 9 can easily overlapand rest on the laterally adjacent tile.

Projecting from the outer side of each flange 1 (end A) at the upperportion thereof are male tenons or lugs 3 each provided with a generallycentral hole 10. Also projecting from the opposite side of adjacentflange 1 (end A) adjacent tile 1B are pairs of lugs 4 forming femalemembers or mortises to receive tenons or lugs 3 of an adjacent tile.Similar tenons 3 and pairs of lugs 4 are carried by flanges 1 and 1 atthe end B of the tile as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. To enabletenons 3 to be received between the pairs of lugs 4 the flanges 2 areprovided with slots or windows on each side of each tenon 3 so that lugs4 may pass through said slots.

It will be noted that lugs 4 are also provided with generally centralopenings 10. The openings 10 are positioned to register when the tenons3 are nested between the lugs 4 and to receive a peg or pin or an ironwire enabling the attachment of the so connected tiles to the frame ofthe roof. The tenons 3 and the lugs 4 may be disconnected to allowremoval, replacement or reversal of a tile.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 9, each tile is cormgated to providealternate waves, crests or corrugations 7 of semiconical form and flatvalleys 8. The semiconical corrugations 7 and the flats 8 may havedifferent widths so that by turning or reversing tiles roofs ofdifferent aspects may be obtained.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the tenons 3 may be of dovetail formation andthe lugs 4 may be shaped to form V-shaped notches between the lugs of apair to receive the dovetail tenons 3.

If desired, the tile may be provided with an offset or relief portionforming a false reinforcing rib 11 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Thisoffset 11 has the visual effect of reducing the length of the tile, i.e.of making one tile appear to be two connected tiles and improving theconnection from the aesthetic point of view.

The ribs or grooves 11 form larmiers or drips where cornice shouldersforce the rain water to flow in drops resembling tears in place oftrickling on the facings. While one rib 11 is shown by way of example,more than one rib 11 may be formed in each tile.

FIG. 9 shows an assemblage of tiles of different styles or aspects toillustrate by way of example the various arrangements of tiles that maybe embodied in a roof with the same format of tiles. One tile isrepresented by the square shown in broken lines.

The tiles of this invention are reversible. Further the tiles may beformed of plastic or other appropriate material even of light metal. Theassembled tiles form a lighter roof which makes it possible to lightenthe roof frame. Moreover, a roof of assembled tiles of the presentinvention prevents the penetration of rain and provides an isothermalcovering completely resistant to most violent Winds.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to theembodiment herein described and shown in the annexed drawings by way ofexample, it may be modified as to form, materials and dimensions withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A roof comprising a plurality of tiles having lapped upper and lowerterminal edges and having interfitting flange means, said flange meansof each lapped edge of each tile comprising a pair of flanges extendinglengthwise of the associated edge and defining a trough between them,said flanges on said upper terminal edge extending upwardly and saidflanges on said lower terminal edge extending downwardly, the innerflange of each said pair of flanges having on its inner side a pair offirst projections with a first gap between them, the outer flange ofeach said pair of flanges having on its outer side a second projectionand a pair of second gaps through said outer flange disposed one oneither side of said second projection, said second gaps being of a depthsubstantially less than the depth of the associated said trough, saidgaps and projections being so disposed that in each pair of said lappededges, each said second projection of one lapped edge extends into afirst gap and each said pair of first projections extends into a saidpair of second gaps.

2. A roof as claimed in claim 1, said projections having perforationstherethrough in the direction of the length of said flange means, saidperforations being so located that the perforations of interfitting saidprojections are in alignment with each other.

3. A roof as claimed in claim 1, said projections being fiat.

4. A roof as claimed in claim 1, said projections being wedge shaped.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 117,605 8/1871Cook 24l 438,321 10/ 1890 Lindemann 50--241 3,114,218 12/1963 Macquere50-268 X FOREIGN PATENTS 580,572 9/ 1946 Great Britain. 1,246,781 10/1960 France.

482,812 7/ 1953 Italy.

EARL J. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

1. A ROOF COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF TILES HAVING LAPPED UPPER AND LOWERTERMINAL EDGES AND HAVING INTERFITTING FLANGE MEANS, SAID FLANGE MEANSOF EACH LAPPED EDGE OF EACH TILE COMPRISING A PAIR OF FLANGES EXTENDINGLENGTHWISE OF THE ASSOCIATED EDGE AND DEFINING A TROUGH BETWEEN THEM,SAID FLANGES ON SAID UPPER TERMINAL EDGE EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND SAIDFLANGES ON SAID LOWER TERMINAL EDGE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY, THE INNERFLANGE OF EACH SAID PAIR OF FLANGES HAVING ON ITS INNER SIDE A PAIR OFFIRST PROJECTIONS WITH A FIRST GAP BETWEEN THEM, THE OUTER FLANGE OFEACH SAID PAIR OF FLANGES HAVING ON ITS OUTER SIDE A SECOND PROJECTIONAND A PAIR OF SECOND GAPS THROUGH SAID OUTER FLANGE DISPOSED ONE ONEITHER SIDE OF SAID SECOND PROJECTION, SAID SECOND GAPS BEING OF A DEPTHSUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE DEPTH OF THE ASSOCIATED SAID THROUGH, SAIDGAPS